I have had a good time in prayer. I just could not help but cry (tears of thanksgiving and joy) praying about so many things that have touched me lately, like those inmates at Angola Prison raising their hands and singing praise to Jesus in prison, "You Are Awesome In This Place Mighty God." They smiled like they meant it, because they did. God had transformed them. I think about people I have met in "the free world" who have never known such joy. I'd give anything to able to give it to them, but I can't. I have prayed for such people in the "free" world today, too, for God to set them free from the prison of darkness within.
Atheists or agnostics could argue that the inmates at Angola are faking "religion" to get out early on good behavior. Actually, they are serving life sentences at Angola, and they realize they will never get out of prison, and they are still genuinely happy.
We met this one man at Angola who was very clean cut, looking like he was a pastor of some church somewhere with a spotless past! We didn't even think he was an inmate at first. Anyway, he has gotten saved since he has been in prison. His crime was so bad it has been profiled on A &E, but he has become a Christian now, and he is a new man. He wrote me a letter stating that God promises to give us a new name when we get to heaven. I thought of that as I prayed for him tonight, thanking God for being a God of mercy and love for anyone who will come to Him (on His terms). He pardons criminals and leaves big wig bankers on Wall Street alone. (I am talking about eternal pardon and salvation of the heart, of course.) I praise God for being who He is.
I don't write the prisoners directly, and they do not write me directly; we go through the chaplains. We are working on getting all the inmates who gave us prayer requests Christmas cards, and I am going to try to sell some CDs for 10.00 each to donate for my project for the inmates on death row to have books on 'Heaven' by Randy Alcorn. We need to raise 450 more dollars to have $900.00, which will pay for 90 books to be sent to everyone on death row in the state of Louisiana.
We also want to include booklets by Mark Cahill about what the Bible teaches about heaven and hell for every inmate on death row.
As I think about salvation---regeneration of the soul here on earth--I realize that is when ETERNAL LIFE begins. It is TRULY a miracle--as big a miracle as Jesus raising from the tomb--for God to come and live within the heart of a person and POSSESS that person with His Spirit. He chooses as He deems best, and He is sure perfect in His judgment. I am so thankful that He would choose to live inside of me. I did absolutely nothing to deserve it, but He sure has made my heart His home, and I pray He will use us to save souls of these death row inmates in Louisiana. Nothing is too difficult for God.
Atheists or agnostics could argue that the inmates at Angola are faking "religion" to get out early on good behavior. Actually, they are serving life sentences at Angola, and they realize they will never get out of prison, and they are still genuinely happy.
We met this one man at Angola who was very clean cut, looking like he was a pastor of some church somewhere with a spotless past! We didn't even think he was an inmate at first. Anyway, he has gotten saved since he has been in prison. His crime was so bad it has been profiled on A &E, but he has become a Christian now, and he is a new man. He wrote me a letter stating that God promises to give us a new name when we get to heaven. I thought of that as I prayed for him tonight, thanking God for being a God of mercy and love for anyone who will come to Him (on His terms). He pardons criminals and leaves big wig bankers on Wall Street alone. (I am talking about eternal pardon and salvation of the heart, of course.) I praise God for being who He is.
I don't write the prisoners directly, and they do not write me directly; we go through the chaplains. We are working on getting all the inmates who gave us prayer requests Christmas cards, and I am going to try to sell some CDs for 10.00 each to donate for my project for the inmates on death row to have books on 'Heaven' by Randy Alcorn. We need to raise 450 more dollars to have $900.00, which will pay for 90 books to be sent to everyone on death row in the state of Louisiana.
We also want to include booklets by Mark Cahill about what the Bible teaches about heaven and hell for every inmate on death row.
As I think about salvation---regeneration of the soul here on earth--I realize that is when ETERNAL LIFE begins. It is TRULY a miracle--as big a miracle as Jesus raising from the tomb--for God to come and live within the heart of a person and POSSESS that person with His Spirit. He chooses as He deems best, and He is sure perfect in His judgment. I am so thankful that He would choose to live inside of me. I did absolutely nothing to deserve it, but He sure has made my heart His home, and I pray He will use us to save souls of these death row inmates in Louisiana. Nothing is too difficult for God.
